Ccvenant ofGrace. 39 the world, that he gave his only begotten S~n, that whofoe'ver believeth on him, · fuould not penfu, but ' have everlafiing life,' John iii. 16. '· This is the com– mandment, that we fuould believe on the :oame of his fon Jefus Chrifi,' 1]ohn iii.23.Wherefore, believe ye, ·and take hold ofthe covenant for yourfelves : ro !hall ye know your elecrion, and your reprefentation in the covenant, by the effecrs thereof. . This difficl.llty, cafi in the way of a finner, fenfible of his need of Chrifi, to beat him off from belie.ving on Chrifi, is a dangerous device.and temptation of the devil. But, do you repel it, faying, 0 enemy of my falvation, 'tis true, I do,not know, whether Chrifi re-' pre.C.::nted me, or not, in the eternal covenant ; nei– ther am I obliged, nor .concerned, to know it, in or· .der to my taking hold of that covenant: But, one thiog I know affuredly, namely, that ·the covenant, in the~free promife of life and falvation, upon the ground of Chrifi's obedience and death allenarly, is held out to, me, even to .me ; to be believed, trufied to and re- · fled upon, by me, even by me : and therefore I will believe, an~ lay hold on it; and, upon the infallible ground of the faithfulnefs of God, in the promife, ' Whofoever believeth ilia!] not perifu, but have ever– lafiing life,' . I will a!furedly conclude, that it fuall be made out to me. · Q_ueftion. ' But are there no marks or figns, where· by a poor finner may kno.w himfelf to be one ofthefe who were.reprefented by Chrifi 'in the fecond covemm; . and whofe na.mes he put _in th~ bond of furetHhip, that he gave to h1s Father from eternity?' Anfwer. Yea, :here are: but_ the,n they are fuch, as altho' the hav· zng of them wdl prove ,a man to have b,een reprcfent– ed by Jefus Chrifi in the eternal covenant; yet the want of them will not prove a nun not to have been reprefe.nted therein, forafmuch as what one has not now, he may come to have afterWards. And under :his lim~tation, I offer thefe two marks of the thing m quefhon. Jliark
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